Mother Of The Year

My sweet online friend, Kristine, gave me a Mother of the Year award. Kristine is the mommy of two beautiful little girls. She's a budding photographer, and she's just as sweet as can be. Plus, she called my kids 'gorgeous', so what's not to love about her? So, thank you Kristine!!

On another note, I won my first bloggy give-a-way! I got an e-book: Living and Learning on One Income from Sheri at Homeschooling on a Wing and a Prayer. No, I'm not officially a homeschooler, but I am trying to live on one income, and need all the advice I can get on how to stretch that one income to cover the expenses of a family of five. And, I'm sure my kids feel like they have the best (or worst) of both worlds because I do try to do a lot of extra teaching at home.

My little Princess, for one, is learning all about that after making a comment that it's not her fault she doesn't know how to count money because it's not her fault she lives "in a house where everybody is too busy to teach me." Needless to say, all my spare time and effort will be going into teaching that child something........not sure what exactly that will be yet. How to count money. How to tell time. How to keep thoughts to yourself when they might cause your mother to blow her lid if you say them out loud.

'P's & 'Q's

I joined in with Lisa at Oh Boy...Oh Boy...Oh Boy in a fun game. Lisa had to list 10 thing she loves that start with the letter 'M'. Then she picked the letter 'P' for me.

I'm just thankful she didn't pick 'Q'. I mean, how many queens and quilts can a person really love?

And so, in no particular order, things I love about 'P'. Wait, that didn't sound right. Things I love that start with 'P'.

1. Photographs. I love taking photos, especially of my kids, and I love looking at other people's photos. While my favorite subject is my kids, I find that I actually take better pictures of things in nature. Like these:

2. Pasta. Especially pasta covered in cheese and some sort of Italian sauce. Spaghetti. Lasagna. Baked Ziti. Fettuccine Alfredo. Etc. Etc. I could never do a no carb diet, and I have convinced myself that one day doctors will discover that not incorporating enough carbs into your diet causes some sort of dread disease, like, oh I don't know, impetigo or something.

3. Peanut Dust. That heavenly smell that floats through the air in South Georgia in the Fall.

4. Project Runway. I absolutely LOVE this show. I mean, seriously, gay men in a tizzy because they can't find their chiffon. What could be better than that?

5. Parenting. I had to find a way to work my kids in here. It's a hard job, but I do love beingtheir parent. And I love how my husband and I almost always agree on how to parent them.

6. Pages. Of books, that is. I love to read. It's a great escape, and I love getting wrapped up in a good book.

7. Pajama Mama. She's my best friend, and I love her to pieces. I don't know what I would do without her.

8. Pajamas. Spending a day at home, in my pj's with a good book, or a marathon of Top Chef or Project Runway, or a few good Lifetime movies. Heaven.

9. Pampering myself. It's not something I get to do often, but when I can get away with it, I love to be pampered. The best is going to get a professional massage, but almost anything will do. Just a long hot bath with a good book or magazine, a scented candle, and some yummy soap is great. Oh, that is if I can get away with it without the Princess wanting to come in, sit on the toilet and talk while I'm bathing.

10. Peace. Another thing I don't get often, but what could be better than a nice completely quiet (read no whining kids, no Disney channel, no little boy beating on his bedbug toy) peaceful evening? Maybe in my PJ's watching Project Runway?

If you would like to play along, leave me a comment, and I'll email you with the letter I choose for you!

Not Me! Monday

We all have those moments in our lives when we do things we would really rather just forget. Not Me! Monday is the chance to embrace those moments and realize that our lives are fine despite our moments of inattentiveness, laziness or just plain forgetfulness! For more Not Me!s head over to MckMama's blog!

Last Monday I did not spend most of the day with the words, "Why didn't school start back today instead of tomorrow?" running through my head. I was not counting down the minutes until I could take my girls (and my daycare kids) back to school. Nope, I enjoy every single moment with all the kids in my house.

I did not turn 41 on Tuesday! I can't be that old. I have a baby for Pete's sake.

I did not completely forget that I had a meeting with the parents of the Princess' Brownie troop. I also did not forget that I had asked my niece to come stay with my kids while I went to said meeting. I did not suddenly remember these facts when said niece pulled into my driveway Friday night. I did not then realize that I could not under any circumstances allow her and her six month old daughter to come into my house with my son who had oozing impetigo sores on his face. There is no way I could have possibly forgotten any of this because I am the Cookie Mom who was supposed to be conducting the meeting!!

I did not stand in my kitchen last night with all three kids surrounding me and suddenly become overwhelmed and a little tickled by the fact that I have THREE kids. What were we thinking? We're outnumbered!

I am not getting ready to head out to the pediatrician with child number two in the great impetigo outbreak of 2009. What a marvelous way to start a new year.

So, what did you not do this week?

For Maddie, Miley & Jordan

If your Mr. Right is toothless, drools A LOT, loves long baths...with his sister, has a very strong Mommy attachment, eats anything and everything...especially if he finds it on the floor, has some inexplicable pull toward all things dangerous, loves to try to pull your lips and nose off, thinks it's hilarious when the dog licks him in the mouth, likes to growl at total strangers, has eyelashes to die for, and a smile that will melt your heart, then I have the man for you.

Let the cat fight begin.

Raw(e) Distracted by Fear & Hope

**Now that the contest is over, I have added a little edit. I blurred my last name and the name of my doctor. Just a little too much info out there for my comfort level!!

**This post is backdated because my children don't know any of this at this point, so I didn't want it on the first page of my blog where they might find it.

Sami at Sailor & Company is hosting this great photo contest. The photos must be completely raw and unedited. I literally had to remind myself of that after I uploaded and my first instinct was to start cropping.

This weeks Raw(e)theme is distractions. What is distracting you from your family, your housework, etc.?

Right now, my biggest distraction is fear.

I turned 42 at the beginning of January. At the end of January, I realized I am pregnant. To say I have lived in fear since that day would be an understatement. I am terrified that there is something wrong with this baby. I don't mean just a minor birth defect sort of issue, my fear is that there is something fatally wrong.

These ultrasound pictures are from the day I had my nuchal translucency screening. I got a call a few days later telling me that something in my bloodwork was measuring too high, and I was being referred to a high risk clinic for a more in depth ultrasound. That appointment is April 1st. The waiting is torture.

Meanwhile, I have piles of laundry, unmopped floors and toys everywhere. I am living with the fear of the unknown, and have been unable to focus on anything I need to do. Some days, it's hard to even get up and get moving.

It really wasn't until after I looked at the photos I took this morning, and saw this one, with the Japanese Magnolia reaching up to the heavens, that I realized I am also living with a great amount of hope. I have great hope that the baby is fine, that all this fear and worry is for nothing.

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33:22

Not Me! Monday

MckMama is taking a break from her Not Me! Monday post this week. She is actually at the hospital with MckMuffin right now. He has a bad cold and accelerated heart rate. You can read about it over on her blog. And please pray for that sweet baby!

I'm taking a break from the Not Me's to focus a little on what I did do this week.

I did get my Christmas cards in the mail on Saturday, and even though I thought I had missed the Saturday afternoon pick up, the fact that my mom got hers on Monday makes me think they threw in an extra pick up just for perpetually late people like me. I also managed to lose my precious pink cell phone somewhere in the mad dash to get to the post office.

I did manage to fulfill my dream of not needing to leave my house on Christmas Eve until it was time to go to church. Of course, this was aided by the fact that I was stranded at home with no car, and my father-in-law had to pick me and the kiddos up to take us to church, but even if I had not been stranded, I still would not have had to leave the house. The Princess did spend part of Christmas Eve watching that timeless Christmas classic, Tremors 3: Back to Perfection, staring Michael Gross, aka Alex P. Keaton's dad on Family Ties. All the gifts were purchased, all the gifts were wrapped and placed under the tree. All the candy was made. All was right with the world.

I did survive a very low budget Christmas without feeling that my children were completely disappointed. They had a great time with all their cousins, and got most of what they asked for. Of course, they have spent most of the last few days playing with the $10 Pixos they got from their aunt, and the $2 PlayDoh they got from Santa, which makes me glad I didn't spring for any of the more expensive stuff I would have probably purchased had I actually had any money to spare.

I did get a massive migraine sometime late on Christmas Day. There is something about being in a room with 10 kids all twelve years old or younger, all hopped up on cookies and cake and candy and the excitement of all being together and, you know, PRESENTS! that does not equal calm, peaceful Christmas bliss.

I did get to spend a full day with my bff. We drank coffee, ate pigs in a blanket, and talked all day. It was wonderful, and somehow while at her house, my migraine magically went away.

The Princess did find my precious pink cell phone today. She is now my favorite child!

I do have an amazing family. I have great kids who are happy and healthy and smart and funny and just plain cool. What more could I ask for?

I will post Christmas pictures later when I have a chance to upload them!!

May Your Days Be Merry & Bright